Sene Naoupu cooks up barbecue with a Middle Eastern flavour

This beautiful Middle Eastern recipe from our Irish rugby performance chef, Maurice McGeehan, is one of my favourites. He served this during our autumn Internationals with pitta breads and salads.

I love how fresh, quick and easy it is to make at home when you’re on the go – and it is super tasty. Red peppers are one of my favourite and most versatile vegetables, and walnuts are my favourite nut, so throwing those key ingredients into the blender, along with other tasty spices and oils for the muhammara dip, is unreal. Add some salad and kofta skewers and it’s like barbecue vibes with a Middle Eastern flavour.

Sene Naoupu is an Ireland women’s rugby union international.

Sene Naoupu’s chargrilled kofta skewers with muhammara

Serves 4

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Ingredients
900g beef mince
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ cup olive oil
Salt, to season
4 large pitta breads
12 x 15cm wooden skewers soaked in water

For the muhammara:
3 red peppers, roasted, peeled and seeds removed
100g walnuts, lightly toasted
6 scallions, chopped
Juice of 3 lemons
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
85g pomegranate molasses
200ml extra virgin olive oil
70g breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1 For the muhammara dip, place all the ingredients into the blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and keep it in a cold place until ready to serve.

2 For the kofta, place the minced meat in a medium-sized bowl with the scallions, parsley, salt, spices and dried chilli flakes, then mix well.

3 Roll the beef mince into meatballs that are about 90g each, then pour some of the olive oil into a shallow bowl and use it to lightly coat your hands to stop the meat from sticking to them.

4 To shape the kofta, hold a skewer with one hand and pierce each meatball through the centre, then roll the skewered meatball between both hands until it is a sausage shape, ensuring it remains evenly wrapped around the skewer with a 2cm gap at the bottom of the skewer.

5 Place on your grill or barbecue and cook for eight minutes on each side until browned, then remove and let rest for five minutes.

6 Chargrill the pitta bread on the barbecue or grill, then serve together with the muhammara dip and a tossed salad.